Detachable wheels and fitting vehicles therewith.



able lVheels and in Fitting Vehicles There- UNITED STATES PATENT onrion JOHN VERNON PUGH, OVFVCOVENTRY, ENGLAND;

DETACHABLE WHEELS AND FITTING VEHICLES THEREWITII-I.

To all whom it may eonce m Be it known that I, JOHN VERNON PUGH,

a subject of the King-of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at Guiting House, Alle'sley, (.oventry,fin thevcoun-ty of Warwick, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in andRelating to Detachwith, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to detachable wheels of the typedescribed inmy British Patents Nos, 180%8/1911', 21275/1911, 20993/1912, in which the rotation of the wheel in the forward movement of the vehicle is utilized automatically to tighten up the, securing nut which retains the outer upon the inner hub part by a screw thread or like engagement with one of the hub parts. In suchwheels it is usual to differentiate between the. screw threads of the parts for exclusive use on opposite sides of the vehicle in such amanner that the similar rotation of the nuts relative to the hub parts -may produce axial movement in the direction necessary for tightening up the nuts and retaining the outer upon the inner hub parts on both sides of the. Vehicle. Under. thesecircumstances it will be seen that if by any misunderstanding a part intended for exclusive use'upon one side'of the vehicle is afiixed upon the other side the action which was intended to tighten up the nut will be acting to untighten it and serious trouble mav'result.

The object of the present invention to "render it impracticable for any one to commit an error of the foregoing type.

The invention consists in a method of mounting a detachable wheel or wheels ofthe foregoing type upon one or both of the sides of a vehicle according to which the connecting or co-actin portions of the cooperating members are so constructed that no member intended for use upon one side of the vehicle only canbe aflixed upon the other side. I 1

The invention further consists in means i for mou 'it'ing a detachable wheel or wheels of the foregoingtype upon one or bothof the sides of a vehicle, said [means comprising an inner hub part or parts. and fittings 'directly or, indirectly appertaining to the mounting or operation of said wheel or wheels, in wh ch the connecting or co-acting portions are so constructed that no member Specification of Letters l atent.

Patented Feb. 8, 1916.

Application filedAugust 18, 1913. Serial No. 785,396. r 7

intended for use uponone side ofthe vehicle I only can be aflixed upon the other side.

The invention also consists inumprovements in detachable wheel parts and appertaining fittings related thereto, as hereinafter described.

The underlying idea of this inventionmay be illustrated by. imagining a car is constructed as a Rolls-Royce car on one side, and as a Napier on the other side,

that-is, with totally different parts to which i are attached shallalso only be applicable to the correct side of the vehicle. When con 5 sidering the front axle this is easily attained, as owing to the steeringcoupling rod alone being attached to the arms of the I left hand stub end and the steering coupling rod in addition to the steering rod, (that is,- the connection from the stub endto the steering segment) being attached to the arms of the'right handstub end, it would be immediately noticed if the stub ends had 'been fitted to the wrong sides of the. vehicle as itwould be quite impossible to connect up the steering gear, and so the mistake, if

made, would; be discovered before the vehicle could be taken upon the road. For a.

front axle, therefore, it is only necessary to I arrange that the stub ends upon opposite sides of the vehicle are different in respect to the attachment of the inner permanent hub part, and that the respective permanent hubparts canonly be aliixed' to the particular stub end for which they are in tended.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 shows a complete hub and an axle end for one side of a vehiclegand Figs.

and 3.show portions of hubs for the oppo- 1 site side-of the vehicle illustrating altei'na tive arrangements of one way of carrying the invention into effect- Figs. l and 5 show a collar on the aisle and an intu'rned flange another on an annular and a lylindrical surfacein the two figures respectively. Figs. 6 and 7fshow annular and cylindrical overlappingsurfaces provided on the bearing retaining means'of the axle and inner-hub.-

'of the inner hub part which overlap one i surfaces. .Figs. 10, 11 and 12 show a construction in which a notched collar on the axle passes through a complementary orlfice in a flange of the inner hub. Figs. 13, 14

and 15 show the invention carried into effect on a driving axle, and Figs. 16 and 17 illustrate a method by which the brake drum and its cover are utilized.

In carrying the invention into effect in one manner as shown by Way of example in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, an outer hub part, a, is mounted upon an inner hub'partfl), and retained thereon by a nut, c, as described in the beforementioned patents. The stub axle end, cl, carries the inner hub, b,,by means of the ball bearings, 6 and f. Fig. 1 shows the hub and axle end for, say, theleft hand side of the vehicle, and Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view of the outer bearing upon the right hand side of the vehicle. It will be seen that the outer ball bearings, e and e are of different diameters internally and externally for the opposite sides, and it is easy to render it impossible to fit the smaller size bearing 6 within the inner hub b by making the nut or screwed ring 9', which retains the bearing in position, of such an internal diameter that it will not grip the smaller size bearing, 6. It is of courseobvious that the larger size bearing, 6', cannot be placed within the recess in the hub part, b, intended for the smaller one. Having made it impossible to fit an incorrect outer bearing to the inner hub parts, the fact that the internal diameters of the bearings are different will also'make it impossible to fit them upon the wrong axle ends, the same method being adopted of making the gripping members,h and i, for the bearing,e,which has the smaller bore, of suchdiameters thatthey are incapable of retaining in position the bearing 6, with the larger bore. If preferred, the foregoing arrangement may be applied to the inner ball bearings instead of to the outer ones when, asshown in Fig. 3, the recess, j. and internal shoulderv is, which hold the bearing f, are so large that the bearing, 7", would fall through if applied to them, while the bearing f, would slip over the shoulder, Z, formed upon the axle end, (I. The bearing 7, cannot be put upon the axle end, at or the bearing, f, into the inner'hub part, 1). Another way of carrying out the invention is to provide co-acting projections on a rotating and a non-rotating member respectively, which, whena wheel is in position, overlap one another upon a surface of revolution which may be cylindrical, conical or disk-like. Both projecttions may form complete surfaces or portions or boundaries thereof provided the projections of a non-rotating part on one arles,

two sides of the vehicle are at right angles or otherwise inclined to each other, and each pass through and extend in both directions from a point in a corresponding position, it will be clear that the two surfaces would intersect" if the parts for both sides could be super-imposed, and that therefore when formed as above described, the projections will prevent an incorrect assembling of the parts.

As shown in Figs. 4 and 5 such arrange-- ments may consist in providing a collar, m, of'small diameter and immediately adjoining theinner face of the outer ball bearing, 6, upon the right hand side stub axle, and providing the inner hub part, b, for that side with an internal flange, n, of such diameter that it will just pass over the collar, m, and of such a width that when in position it will extend in a longitudinal direction some distance beyond the collar as shown in Fig. The left hand stub axle is provided with a collar, m, (Fig. 4) of larger diameter than m and placed a short distance farther back from the outer end of thfi axle,-so as to leave a part, 0, of small diameter between the inside of the outer bearing, e, and the outer face of the collar, m. The inner hub part, b,.is provided with an internal flange, n, of such thickness and internal diameter that it will occupy the space between the collar, m, and bearing, 6, and

just clear the part, 0, before mentioned. The internal diameter of 'n. is such, however, that it will not pass the collar, m, of the right hand axle end'. The surface of overlapping in Fig. 4 is disk-like, lying between the boundaries, 3 and 2, and in Fig. 5 it is cylindrical, being between the boundaries 1 and a so that both surfaces pass through a corresponding point midway between the: boundand would intersect one another could the parts for both sides be superimposed. If, however, an attempt is made to place a left hand hub part 6 upon a right hand-axle end, cl, the internal flange, n, of the hub part will come intocontact with the collar, m, of the axle end and prevent the hub going on far enough to screw the nut up, while if a right hand hub part, b, is placed upon a left hand axle end, 03, the smaller internal diameter of the thicker inturned flange, n, of. the hub will not pass over the outside of the larger diameter collar, m, and it will again beimpossible to put the hub part on far enough to screw up the nut.

In the arrangement illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, the axle ends, 03 and d on opposite sides are provided with different types of screw. threads for the nuts. W nd which liameter which would lars, m and m the of these inturned (Fig. being such ts'would be prevented rrect positions by the tact with the collars,

must have completely an the hub partsare 3y providing complecollars and flanges or a1 configuration of a ll configuration of a r non-circular shape, pass one another, and 1S in'Fig. 11 are em- .d axle end. and four ght handaxle end, or of different configuthe opposite sides, it a hub part cannot be iosition except at that which it is intended. ways of carrying out applied to the back 1t the distinction bef the axle previously ent, it will be necesztween the fit, though."

:he axle, spring pads,

ms to the chassis in ll be impossible for a ndeed any right hand left hand side of the :how constructions for it is assumed that the ls, l is shorter on the do than it is on the erefore impossible forv o be fitted upon the ving pieces, I and 1''- 1th the hub part may erent numbers of enpposite sides, that is. as shownin Fig. 14, provided between the ving piece, '2', and six riving piece .and the he right hand side as may be provided hed the driving piece 7*, een the driving piece 'ill effectually prevent xed to the \vrong'side ld the tyre axle parts 7 .d it is not convenient ilferentiation. another system of intersecting 1g may be employed.

he brake drums, s and may be connected to parts,- b and b, 'bya lolts or studs, 25, using )lts u on the left hand nally to correspond with the collar so that retain the outer ball bearings, e and '6, so

that the nut, p, for the lefthand side cannot be placed upon the axle, (l, on the right hand side or vice versa. The rings g 'and g for retaining the ball bearings, e and e" in the hub parts are also provided with difi'erent types. of screw threads so that they can only be used in the particular hub part for WlllCh they are intended. The nut, 12, upon the right hand side is provided with a wide collar of small diameter which, when the nut is in position on the axle,-lies within the bore of the retaining ring, 9 of the hub part, b, with a cylindrical surface of overlappin y, 2/ while the nut, 72-, upon the left hand side 'is provided with a collar formed in two steps of different diameters as shown, one step being .of a larger and the other of a smaller diameter than the collar on the nut, 9. The retaining ring, 9 for the left hand hub part, b, is stepped interwhen the nut, 12, is in position the. collarjis contained within the retaining ring 9 with the stepped parts accommodating one another, and providing a disk-like surface of overlapping, y, 2. If a ri ht hand hub, b,

is put upon a left hand'ax e end, cl, the nut,

1), cannot be screwed home. owing to the larger diameter step of the nut fouling the smaller diameter bore of the retaining ring 9 Likewise, if the left hand hub part, 5,

is put upon the right hand axle end,'(l', the I collar of the nut, p, will not pass the smaller diameter step of the retainingring, g and the nut cannot be screwed home as 1n the former case. The foregoing arrangement of a plain collar upon one nut and a stepped a diameter intermediate between the twodiametersof 72 the hub part, I), being formed with one deep recess to accommodate the nut, 12 The result is exactly the samefas that already described in connection with Figs. 6 and 7 .1

In anotherw'ay of carrying the invention into effect which is shown in Figs. 10, 11 and 12, collars m and m respectively are provided upon the left hand and the righthand stub ends of the axle, the collars being 'of the same diameter and in the same longitudinal position on the axle. as shown at m, (Fig. 10). The two hub parts are provided with inturned flanges, n and n respectively, of an internal 5 not pass over the col lo-ngltudinal position flanges as shown atn that the inner hub parI from reaching their 00 iflanges coming in conbut that the flanges 1:

passedthe collars wln in correct position. I mentary notches in the byjmaking the extern collar and the intern: flange of some simila: they may be'made to 1 if, say, three notches:

'ployed at the left han as in'Fig. 12 at the rig flanges and openings ration are used upon maybe arranged that placed in the correct p end of the axle for j The before-described the invention maybe hubs of a vehicle. bu tween the stub ends 0 pointed out being abs sary to differentiate l)t not the functions oft springs and COIIIIGC'lZif such away that itwi' right hand spring or i part to'be put on the vehicle.

Figs. 13, 14 and 15 s an axle drive in which torque transmitting ax one side of the vehi other, and that it is th a part of the axle t wrong side. The .dri

' connecting the axle w be provided with diff gaging flutes for the 1 for the left hand side.

eight flutes may be 1 hub part andthe dri' flutes between the d:

' axle, g, whereas fort in Fig. 15, ten flutes tween the hub partan and eight flutesbetw and the axle. This w the hub part being afli of the vehicle. Shou' be of equal length, an

to make any other (1 way of applying the 1 surfaces of overlap 'iil InFigs. 16 and 17 t s for opposite sides their respective hub j different number of. b

sayfor example, six bl ing, w, providing a cylindrical surface of. overlapping, 3 2.

side, and eight bolts upon the right hand side. The brake drum, 8, upon the right hand side is formed with a small external flange, u, .upon its inner edge. This flange just fits within a rim, '0, forming the outer side of an annular recess, 00, which is set back on the flat face of the brake drum cas- The brake drum, 8, upon the left hand side is provided with a fiange, u, of larger diameter than the flange, u, but the drum 8, itself is'not so wide as the drum, 3. The drum casing, ug-on the left hand side is only provided with an ordina'ry rim, '0, and has no set back recess, the surface of overlapping beingdisk-like as indicated by and 2. If an attempt is made to place a left hand hub upon the right hand side of the vehicle, the larger external flange, u, of the brake drum will not pass the smaller diameter'rim v, whereas if a right hand hub par-t were tried upon the left hand side there'would be no set back annu- -lar recess, :0, to accommodate the Wider drum which would in consequence come in contact with the casing, w, before the hub part was home upon'the axle. In this arrangement it is of course necessary in order to avoid mistake, to provide that the brake drum. casings differentiate. from one another in some manner in their attachment to the vehicle.

"In all of the foregoing arrangement it will be seen that it is not only impossible to fit a right hand hub part upon the left hand side of the vehicle, but also that a left hand hub part cannot be used upon the right hand side. In some instances, however, it may be sufficient to provide that only one of the hub parts cannot be used upon the opposite side. This arrangement does not, however, offer as great advantages as the former, particularly where replacements have to be effected.

It will be clear that the previously described methods form only somewa s of carrying the invention into effect, an that many others may be adopted Without 1n any way departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is I 1. In combination a Wheel hub for a cer- I prevent the interchange of hubs.

on the right hand side or a vehicle, complementary faces whereby said'hub and components cooperate one with the other, a corresponding hub and components for the left hand side of said vehicle and complementary faces to said last named members differing from those of the first named in a plurality of dimensions.

3. In combination an axle end which is restricted to a certain side 'of a vehicle, a wheel hub for mounting thereon, complementary faces belonging to said hub and axle which cooperate for the attachment of said hub, and a corresponding hub and axle for the opposite side of said vehicle with complementary faces per-forming similar functions but of different proportions to 4. In combination an axle end which is restricted to a certaln slde of a vehicle, a wheel hub for mountlng thereon, a member intermediate between said axle'and hub and 1 having a face complementary to a face provided upon each, and a corresponding axle,

hub, and intermediate member for the oppo-' plementary to one of said turned elements but which will not cooperate with the other.

6. In combination an axle end for one side of a vehicle having a surface, an annular device carried on said surface, a wheel hub having an internal recess holding said device. inwardly projecting means preventing axial movement of said device in said recess, an. axle end for the other side of said vehicle having a surface of different diameter from said last named surface. an annular device carried thereon which is of smaller diameter than said movement preventing means and a wheel hub having a recess fitting and retaining said last named annular device.

7. In combination an axle end for one side of a vehicle, a cylindrical surface on said end. a ball bearing fitting said surface, a wheel hub having a recess wherein said bearing fits, an axle end for the other side of a vehicle. a cylindrical surface thereon of different diameter from said first named surface. a wheel hub having a recess of (lifferent diameter to said first named recess and a ball bearing fitting upon said last named surface and within said last named recess- 8. In combination an axle end for one side of a vehicle, a cylindrical surface on taining said bearing in said recess, an axle" end for the other side of a vehicle, a cylindrical surface thereon of larger. diameter than said gripping members, a wheel hub having a recess which issmaller than the inner diameter of said ring and a ball bearing fitting within said last named recess and upon said last named cylindrical surface.

9. In combination an inner hub part of a detachable wheel for the right hand and one for the left hand side of a vehicle, axlev parts on opposite'sides of said vehicle, and ball bearings supporting said hub parts upon said axle parts, said bearings being of diiferent dimensions on the opposite sides ofthe vehicle, whereby a hub part can only, bemounted on the axle part for which it is intended. l

10. In combination an inner hub part 0ft a detachable wheel for-the right hand: and

one for the left hand side of a vehicle, an

axle part applicable to the right hand and one applicable to the left hand side of said. vehicle, a ball bearing between the axle part and hub part on the'right hand side and a similarly positioned ball bearing of different internal and external diameters for the hub part and axle part on the lefth'and side.

11. In' combination an inner hub part of a detachable wheel for the right hand and one for the left hand side of a vehicle, an axle part applicable to the right hand and one applicable to the left hand side of said vehicle, a ball bearing between the axle part andv the outerend of the hub part on the right hand side, and a similarly positioned ball bearing of different internal and external diameters for the hub part and axle part on the left hand side.

12. In combination an inner hub part of a detachable Wheel for the-right hand and one for the left hand side of a vehicle, anaxle partapplicable to the right hand and one applicable to the left hand side of said vehicle, a ball "bearing between the axle. part and hub part on the right hand side and a similarly positioned ballbearing of different dimensions for the hub part andaxle part on the left hand side,

13. In combination an axle end for one side of a vehicle, an annular member positioned thereon, a wheel hub provided with a face complementary t0'part of said member, and a correspondmg axle end, annular member," and hub for the other side of said vehicle co-acting as the above but differentiated from'said first named parts in respect to the proportions of their co-acting faces. 

